“Missouri’s laws, law makers, and law enforcers routinely discriminate against the state’s vulnerable communities,” said Nimrod Chapel, Jr., NAACP Missouri State Conference President. “People of color, people with disabilities, people of faith, women, senior citizens – all are at risk of biased, and sometimes violent, treatment. Our travel advisory seeks to warn potential visitors about the risks of traveling to or through Missouri and encourage them to consider the implications on them of spending their time and money in a state which has failed to make progress away from this Jim Crow culture of prejudice. We applaud Fodor’s for recognizing the severity of the situation and including Missouri on their 2018 ‘No List.’”

Fodor’s each year compiles a list of destinations that travelers should avoid out of “courtesy and concern for this wonderful world.” Fodor’s hopes that presence on this list will inspire the destinations to “recover, reconsider, or reform” come 2019. This year’s group includes Myanmar and Honduras, both sites of extreme hate-motivated violence, and America’s own Missouri. In discussion with Mr. Chapel, the article cites a number of discriminatory state laws and incidents that prompted the travel advisory.

The NAACP Travel Advisory for the state of Missouri, initiated in August, is still ongoing. The advisory calls for African American travelers, visitors, and Missourians to pay special attention and exercise extreme caution when traveling throughout the state given the series of questionable, race-based incidents occurring statewide recently. The NAACP has also since issued a travel advisory for American Airlines, warning African Americans about their safety and well-being when patronizing American Airlines or traveling on American Airlines flights. Since issuing the advisory, the NAACP has received testimony from hundreds of concerned passengers and employees, regarding alleged racially discriminatory and racially-biased treatment.

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About the NAACP:

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work and our six “Game Changer” issue areas here.

Today's #BlackHistoryMonth highlight: The @NAACP's vision is to ensure a society where all people have equal rights without racial discrimination. We strive to empower those who are dedicated to improving our world! To learn more about this #org, visit: https://t.co/Ec7MQZEScg